Child only plays with dolls, trying to encourage to diversify her interests.

**nipper** · 17-12-2012, 10:59 AM

Three year old mindee only likes paying with dolls. She'll spend ages sat on the floor, dressing, undressing, changing, pushing around in pushchair (usually when it's free play). She will join in adult-initiated activities, but always returns to the dolls. A couple of times I've told her dd aged 5 has 'taken them upstairs' just to try and distract her. Last week we had a big session with the jigsaws and this morning it's playdough. I've even tried her with the mobilo, showing her how to make simple cars, but it doesn't seem to float her boat. She enjoys painting and drawing, cutting & sticking, but I get the impression her parents don't really spend much time playing with her. I even sent some jigsaws home with her one weekend and they came back with a couple of bits missing.
All she seems to delight in telling me about is watching dvd's on her new television that she got for her birthday last week...yes I know

**alisha kench** · 18-12-2012, 11:21 AM

yeah u r right... most of the girl babies do the same... my 3.5 year daughter has the same psyche... i have hide her dolls many times but she start crying bitterly and i had to give it to her again... how i can change her psyche? i spend alot of time with her but she still does the same...

**Tealady** · 19-12-2012, 12:15 AM

You can't change them. They will start playing with other things when they are ready.

I mind a boy who loves cars. I used to worry too, however I came to realise that if you are offering a variety of activities at other times or they join in with you when you play with other things then doesn't really matter if this is all they choose at free play? You are supposed to be following their interests at the ned of the day.

**merry** · 19-12-2012, 06:02 AM

Why try to distract her from something she loves doing? If she likes art and craft what about making paper dolls with her. If she'll join in with other activities sometimes then I don't really see a problem, and if she only wants dolls for free play, well, it's supposed to be free play when she can do what she wants. As tealady says, we are supposed to be following their interests, not trying to make them do what we think they should be doing. If an adult had a particular hobby, like baking for example, I doubt they'd be too pleased if you were to come along and say I think you've done that long enough now, it's time you did gardening instead

I do understand how frustrating it can be from an adults point of view, when my son was young he was obsessed with trains for years and it did drive me slightly crazy, but now he's 24 he's got lots of interests and it did no harm allowing him to thoroughly explore his own interests as long as he needed to when he was so young.

**sarah c** · 19-12-2012, 06:43 AM

My daughter was mad on dolls all she did all day was carry a doll round went to the shops the doll came with us, but I wouldn't change her playing with what she loved to do.

I also have a mindee who is mad on animals and when he first started he wouldn't do anything without it being with animals so I planned my activities round his love for animals for example to help him to learn his alphabet I did an animal alphabet so every letter had animal to it beginning with that letter. Also with numbers we were counting animals.
Ofsted loved the thought of me not trying to change the child but work with him and encourage his interests. The mindee still now plays with animals but he will start to do other activities without me putting animals in them. I find children sometimes use it as a kind of comforter

**mrs robbie williams** · 19-12-2012, 06:50 AM

my 2yr old loves dolls, ive put a baby car seat in the playroom and she loves it, putting the dolls in and out, then in the buggy, brushing their hair, changing nappies bless her xx I havent discouraged it ive encouraged it by adding different dolls, dolls clothes, hair brush etc. Its her last day today until 7th jan so they will all be going away tonight

**Daisy De** · 19-12-2012, 06:56 AM

Don't see it as a problem myself especially as she will join in other activities you initiate and likes arts and crafts. Personally I would let her carry on, they all grow out of dolls, quite early nowadays so time will widen her interests anyway.

**Ripeberry** · 19-12-2012, 07:11 AM

I think most CMs and some parents would love a child who can keep herself amused like this

As you said she tries most things and returns to her favourite toys. At least she is not just standing there waiting for you to entertain her. Too many parents interfere with kids play and they end up unable to initiate anything for themselves.
I'd let her get on with it. Puzzles? I'm an adult and I still HATE doing them.

**The Juggler** · 19-12-2012, 02:01 PM

Originally Posted by merry

Why try to distract her from something she loves doing? If she likes art and craft what about making paper dolls with her. If she'll join in with other activities sometimes then I don't really see a problem, and if she only wants dolls for free play, well, it's supposed to be free play when she can do what she wants. As tealady says, we are supposed to be following their interests, not trying to make them do what we think they should be doing. If an adult had a particular hobby, like baking for example, I doubt they'd be too pleased if you were to come along and say I think you've done that long enough now, it's time you did gardening instead

I do understand how frustrating it can be from an adults point of view, when my son was young he was obsessed with trains for years and it did drive me slightly crazy, but now he's 24 he's got lots of interests and it did no harm allowing him to thoroughly explore his own interests as long as he needed to when he was so young.

I agree, you need to build on that interest. Maybe if you are drawing/painting get her to 'bring her baby and see if her baby would like to paint', get her to push the baby in the buggy outdoors.

If you want to try her with something new, ask if 'baby would like to come look at /play with the.....'.

Jigsaws and construction/blocks are very shape/space/measure oriented whereas dolls are imaginative, so you can extend her learning through introducing more imaginary play items - perhaps dress up or smallworld then introduce blocks into the smallworld play later on.

She might have a containing/enveloping schema going on (dressing, covering the dolls) so she may enjoy putting blocks and other things into boxes with lids - worth a try

but don't worry too much - she's learning how to manipulate clothes on and off dolls so developing good problem solving and physical skills, learning about caring for others (feeding and looking after dolls) so good PSED skills.

**nipper** · 19-12-2012, 02:06 PM

Originally Posted by The Juggler

I agree, you need to build on that interest. Maybe if you are drawing/painting get her to 'bring her baby and see if her baby would like to paint', get her to push the baby in the buggy outdoors.

If you want to try her with something new, ask if 'baby would like to come look at /play with the.....'.

Jigsaws and construction/blocks are very shape/space/measure oriented whereas dolls are imaginative, so you can extend her learning through introducing more imaginary play items - perhaps dress up or smallworld then introduce blocks into the smallworld play later on.

She might have a containing/enveloping schema going on (dressing, covering the dolls) so she may enjoy putting blocks and other things into boxes with lids - worth a try

but don't worry too much - she's learning how to manipulate clothes on and off dolls so developing good problem solving and physical skills, learning about caring for others (feeding and looking after dolls) so good PSED skills.

Thanks for that. I have noticed she struggles with the poppers on her coat so we have been practising on baby's vest. I wanted to get one of those dolls with the zippers/ buttons/velcro fasteners etc on them.